A Changing Way of Life
How has life changed for California Indians?Groups of newcomers to California wanted different things:
1. Spain - wanted Indians' land & resources & to change their way of life: in the 1700s they built missions to share the Catholic religion with Indians
2. Eastern USA - 1848 they came looking for gold, fought with California Indians over land
The US government set up reservations to stop the fighting for land, but many Indians had to move far away from where their tribe was from and had difficulty surviving there
Life on a Reservation
- most Indians there were poor
- most of the land isn't good for farming
- they didn't have the natural resources they needed to trade
Today: some have post offices, stores & government buildings
- many people are still poor, but more people are finding ways to create jobs & get money
Tule River Reservation: Yokut Indians live there, they have built many places (airport, a place to build & repair airplanes) that provide jobs
Rancherias are small reservations that started as Indian villages and they now run many companies like hotels & golf courses
California has more than 50 rancherias
Today Ca Indians live like other Americans
Many live in large cities, but still learn the art forms, dances, & language of their ancestors to honor their past
They wear the kind of clothing their ancestors wore on special days
Powwows are one way to learn about different tribes
- when people gather to sing, dance & learn about different tribes
- they are sometimes held on reservations or near large cities
- they were started by American Indians who came to Ca from other places
